Austin is Home Sweet Homewood For a Houston REIT

The past two years have been extremely good for Austin, ranked by Forbes as the No. 1 and No. 2 fastest growing cities in the nation. The ranking combined with the city’s alluring features for REITs – a major university, professional and growing labor force, and the title of Texas State Capital – keeps the market dynamic and active.

The past two years have been very good to Austin, which Forbes named the nation’s fastest-growing city in 2014 and took the second spot this year. The Forbes ranking hints at some of the reasons that real estate investors hold the city in such esteem: its world-class university, its pool of talented, tech-savvy professionals and its stature as the state’s capital.

Among the most recent investors to give Austin a vote of confidence is Moody National REIT I Inc. Sponsored by an affiliate of Houston-based Moody National Cos., the non-traded REIT disclosed last week it’s under contract to purchase Homewood Suites Austin for about $14.3 million.

The 96-key select-service hotel opened in 1998. Its location, about eight miles from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and minutes from downtown Austin, added to the property’s appeal.

“The Austin economy is experiencing vigorous growth, and we think that the diversified economic demand base—including high-tech, medical, state government and education—(favors) continued robust growth in the long-term,” said Moody National Cos. Chairman & CEO Brett Moody.